Operation step controller



' Aug. 31, 1937.

1.. v. WHISTLER OPERATION STEP CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 31, 1936 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. '31, 1937.

L. V. .WHISTLER 2,091,724 OPERATION STEP CONTROLLER Filed Jan. :51, 19365 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIIM a ll 123 .59 il Inn f m V J E If! l gnm III MFA: I

L. v. WHISTLER OPERATION STEP CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 51, 1936 Au lsl,1937.

5 SheetS -Sheet 3 Y Ianrnce zbzzel mwl" Joomt Aug. 31, 1937. L v.WHISTLER I OPERATION STEP CONTROLLER Filed Jan. :51, 1936 5 sums-5 m '5atented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Lawrence V. Whistler,Kenmore, N. Y. Application January 31, 1936, Serial No. 61,837

6 Claims.

regular intervals; whereby in counting machines the articles counted maybe manipulated in any desired manner at regular intervals; and wherethemetal being blanked,

by in stamping presses pierced, trimmed, punched, notched, corrugated,

embossed, or otherwise shaped or fashioned may be cut off or otherwisespecially manipulated after such operation has taken place along anypredetermined length of the metal.

Another object of my invention, as particularly applied to a sheet-metaloperating-press, is the provision of a variable cut-ofl' devicecontrolled by units insertable into or removable from the device, andwhich serve as the controlling medium for determining the instant atwhich the cut-off operation is to be effected.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the kindmentioned which comprises electrically-controlled mechanism for placinginto action, in an operating machine, a cut-off or otherserving-medium," and in associating therewith a variable control-deviceunder control of which a make-and-break device associated with saidelectrically-operated mechanism is actuated; whereby at any desiredinstant, time, dimension of the stock in at least one direction, or thenumber of objects passing through a machine can be definitely gauged.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a control-devicefor cut-off or other serving-mediums, including a series of balls orother units of at least two variations movable along a given path,preferably variations in diameter, or at least in dimension in a givendirection. v

A still further object of my invention is to provide as mechanism of thekind described, a control-device including a series of sphericalelements of two different diameters insertable into for printingwall-paper, the paper or other article printed may be stamped at andremovable from said device to vary the intervals between the larger ofsaid spherical elements and to employ said larger spherical elements asthe initial actuators of the mechanism.

The invention consists, basically,

for operating machines of various Generically it serves as a variableservcontrol device kinds.

ing-medium under initial control of in a stepa series of individualunits. changeable to vary the intervals of effectiveness of saidserving-medium; and

more specifically,

in an automatic variable cutoff mechanism, including a traveling seriesof units of two different dimensions capable of being changed in theirco-operative relation, the

units of the larger The invention further consists dimension, at leastin one direction, being adapted to-operate means whereinto action.

in a controldevice associated with a serving-medium or serving-mechanismand which inclu des a series of spherical units on two differentdiameters capable of being lation to bring employed in any co operativerethe larger units into effective use at desired intervals, and toemploysaid larger units as the means for setting the serving-mechanism intoefiective operation.

The invention further consist s in the novel features of constructionand in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims. Inthe drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a sheet-metalpress, such application being illustrative only, and its othermachineshaving parts will therefore be apparent.

Referring to the various ings,-

application to two relatively movable figures in the drawportion of astamping press, such as is in common use for manipulating sheet-metal ofvarious kinds, the same being equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of parts of a stamping press directlyassociated with my improved mechanism, the reciprocating shown inelevated the various parts of the cut-off their relative positions.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transver tion taken on line 3--3, Fig. inoperating'position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged control-device' taken on line 4-4,

Fig. 5 is a horizontally trendin on line 5-5, Fig. 2.

die head being or inoperative position with mechanism in se verticalsec- -1, showing the die cross section through the Fig. 2. g sectiontaken on line 6-6, Fig. 2, looking up or in the direction of the arrowcrossing said line.

Fig. 7 is" a vertical section taken on line 1-1, Fig. 2, looking in thedirection of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 88,

Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the control-device showing the exterior movableparts in the position they assume when the reciprocating die head or ramis in its elevated position.

I Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the exterior l5 movable parts in theposition they assume when the reciprocating die head or ram is in itslower ,or operating position.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical section taken on Fig. 12 is a verticalsection taken on line l2-l2,

Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a substantially vertical section taken on line |3-l3, Fig.12.

Fig. 14 is a substantially horizontal section 26 taken on line I l-4d,Fig. 12.

' Fig. 15 is a detached perspective view of the primary actuator leverforming part of the control-device.

'Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section of the thermoid switch in theposition it assumes when the cutoff medium is maintained inoperative.

Fig. 17 is a similar view showing the thermoid switch in the position itassumes when electrically setting the cut-ofi medium into action. Fig.18 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of the ballball-inlet formed therein.

Fig. 19 is a similar View of the ball tube along an area having aball-outlet formed therein.

While I have illustrated my invention as applied to a metal-stampingpress, there are many forms of operating machines to which thisinvention may be applied for efiecting, at regularor irregularintervals, some operation other than the primary operation for which themachine is designed, For example, whenprinting newspapers,

the control-device may be set or adjusted to enable the papers 'to bearranged in stacks or bundles, each having a given number of papers, orif desired, to enable thefpapers tobe arranged in stacks according tothe number of papersordered by each individual selling-agency. Whenapplied to printing machines for printing wall-paper, matching pointsmay be printed on the edge of the paper. A further example of theapplication of my invention is in connection with weaving machines,whereby the cloth woven may be distinctly stitched or marked along theedge to indicate each yard of clothwoven and to enable the seller of thebolt of cloth under yardmeasurement to determine the exact point atwhich the cloth is to be out without resorting to the use ofmeasuring-machines, yardsticks, or other measuring mediums.

There are many'other operating machines with which my invention may beemployed to serve as a gauge to effect occasional operations in additionto those regularly performed by the machine, and while the invention isdesigned for use in connection with all forms 01' operating ma-' chinesto effect some desirable operation at in-' tervals, regularly orirregularly, it is primarily j designed for use in connection withmetal-stamping presses.

tube along an area. having a Sheet-metalis oftentimes fed through stamp2,091,724 Fig. 6 is a horizontally-trending section taken ing pressesfrom a reel or in the form of comparatively long sheets, and such metalis variously operated upon, for example, such as forming perforations inthe metal at regular or irregular intervals with one or more punches.Sheet-metal is oftentimes stamped to form depressions and elevationstherein, to create fins, and to otherwise fashion the metal in variousways. Any of the various operations resorted to invariably requireseverance of the metal in order that a metallic part or object of thedesired size and finished or partly finished form be delivered from thepress.

Assuming an order of various sets of such stamped pieces is to befilled, in which the pieces of each set vary in length, and in whicheach piece is provided with regularly-spaced rectangulartransversely-disposed elevations varying in number according to thelength ofthe piece, the

control-device of my invention is equipped with control units arrangedto eife'ct the severance of the metal according to the various lengthsrequired in each set of pieces.

.Again assuming one piece so stamped to be twelve inches in length, asecond, ten inches in length, and the additional pieces diminishingsuccessively two inches in length until the last piece of the setstamped by the press is only two inches in length, the dies employed maybe formed to fashion the required number of transverse elevations on thepiece two inches in length under a single operation of the press;Whereas the piece twelve inches in length will require six operations ofthe press and of course the step by step feeding of the sheet-metalthrough the press to create the transverse elevations along the lengthof a twelve inch piece. With this in mind the controldevice is arrangedso thatthe metal will be severed to form a two inch piece under a singleoperation of the press; the two inches being severed from the metalduring the time that the press is operating on the adjacent portion ofthe metal to form the four inch piece, which will require two operationsof the machine, and of coursea step by step movement of the metalthrough the press. Under the first operationstep upon the six inch pieceto be formed, the four inch piece will be severed from the metal, andafter three step-operations of the press, the six inch piece will becompleted; this being continued until the piece of greatest length isformed, whereupon the next set of pieces will be brought to theoperation point under automatic control of myimproved control-device.

It is, of course, to be understood that, in filling an order fornumerous sets of pieces in which the pieces in the sets vary in size, mycontroldevice may be adjusted or set to stamp all pieces of a given sizeand then readjusted or set to stamp corresponding pieces of a, differentsize; such readjusting or resetting being made for'the remaining varyingsizes of the sets to be stamped;

all of which will be apparent from the descripframe of the pressjonwhichis formed or tothe bed plate or table 2|, and

which is secured which has a yoke or gap 22 in which the punches or diesfor efiecting operation of sheet-metal are arranged. The upper portionof thisyoke forms 40 therein by means of a forward extension on the mainportion -of the frame, and in it is supported and guided for verticalreciprocation, the usual head 23 which carries the punches or diesassociated with dies on a die-plate 24 mounted and secured on thebed-plate or table 2!.

In the drawings I have shown a die 25 which may be secured to thedie-plate 24 through an intermediary 26, or directly if desired. Theintermediary 26, as best shown in Fig. 3, is preferably provided forfixation of a cutter bar 26 thereto, as will appear hereinafter, and forthis reason I prefer to use such an intermediary, which may moreparticularly be referred to as a die-holder and to which dies of variouskinds may be attached, depending on the particular operation to beperformed. The die 25 I .term the lower or stationary die and it isformed of two contiguous parts, best shown in Fig. 3, which is set intoa depressed portion of the die-holder and secured thereto in anyapproved manner. The die-holder may have an elevated portion 21, theupper face of which is flush with the upper face of the die 25 so thatthe sheet-metal, designated by the numeral 28, may be moved through thepress while in contact with the die, the elevated die portion and acutterbar 26 secured to that side of the elevated portion of thedieholder opposite the die 25.

Depending on the nature of the operation to be performed on thesheet-metal, the die will, of course, vary in shape. I have, however,shown the die 25 provided with a punch-hole 29 and a guide hole 30.

Secured in any approved manner to the vertical reciprocating head 23 isa head or ramplate 3|. upstanding boss 32 which is inserted into thevertically reciprocating head 23 and fastened v bolts 33 or otherwiseThe head or ram-plate 3! is recessed on its under side to receive a dieor punch-block 34 which is secured thereto and to which is secured a,die or punch-holder 35 carrying a. punch 35 adapted 45 to be drawnthrough the sheet of metal and en- 50 perforation formed in 55particular piece of work operated upon.

establish this, the placer or guide-pin 31 is longer ter the punch-hole29 die 25.

The die or punch-holder 35 also carries a placer or guide-pin 31 whichin the lower or stationary the sheet-metal under the previous operationof the press, so that the point at which the punch is to perforate thesheet-metal will be the exact distance from the previous punch-hole inthe metal desired for the To than the punch 36, and its lower end ispointed so that it will engage the wall of the previously formedperforation in the sheet-metal should the g latter be improperlypositioned, so as to assure the punching of the next perforation in themetal the exact desired distance, center to center, from that beneaththe placer or guide-pin or in which said pin is entered, the pointed endof the latter 55 serving to shift the metal so as to accomplish this.

Associated with the punch 36 is-a stripper 38.

These parts merely illustrate dies employed for perforating a strip ofmetal of a given length by having the perforations therein the desireddis- 7 tances apart, and as arranged, four perforations 75 or device maybe are to be made before severance of the metal takes place, as clearlyshown in Fig. 3.

It will of course be apparent from the foregoing that any other form ofmetal-operating die substituted for the punch, and

This head or ram-plate may have an is designed to enter the that anyother form of metal-positioning means may be employed for determiningthe exact movement of the sheet-metal through the press for positioningthe same, step by step, for the successive operations, in lieu of theplacer or guidepin 31.

I haveshown the head or ram-plate 3| provided with a lateral extension39, on the under side of which are arranged spaced-apart guides 40 whichhold a gag or rack-bar 4| slidable on said plate, the guides beinggrooved, as at 42, along their inner edges to receive guide flanges 43formed on the gag or rack-bar. This gag or rack-bar, in the particularadaptation of my invention shown, is slidably movable forwardly andrearwardly on the press, but may be otherwise arranged, depending on theparticular form of press to which the invention is applied, or on theparticular operation to be performed. These guides and the gag orrack-bar form an assembly beneath which a spring-supported cuttertable44 is arranged, which is supported by spiral springs 45, the lowerportions of which surround rods or studs 46 rising from the die-holder26. This cutter-table has a cutter-bar 41 recessed into its lower sideand adapted for shearing coaction with the cutter-bar 25 fastenedto theelevated portion 21 of said die-holder.

Screwed to the upper side of the cutter-table 44 is a gag or rack-bar 48adapted both for intermeshing and abutting co-action with the gag orrack-bar 4i. Each of these gag or rack-bars, as best shown in Figs. '7and 8, have a longitudinal series of transversely-disposed teeth 49forming intervening spaces or grooves 50 which are slightly wider thanthe teeth of each rack bar; and to assure perfect vertical movement ofthe gag or rack-bar 48, guide-pins are threaded into the lateralextension of the head or ram-plate 3| and depend'therefrom, saidguide-pins having stops 52 in the form of heads which are designed toenter pockets 53 at opposite ends of the cuttertable, which, by engagingthe inner end walls of said pockets determine the downward movement ofsaid cutter-table. The latter is also provided near opposite ends withdownwardly-extending bosses 54 to provide elongated openings for guiderods 55 extending upwardly from the dieholder 28. I

It will be apparent that the gag or rack-bar 4i is movable with thepunch or upper die member of the stamping press, and therefore this gagor rack-bar may be fastened to the vertically reciprocating head 23 orany portion of the press movable therewith.

The cutter-bars 26 and 41 serve, in the particular illustration of myinvention, as a means of severing the sheet-metal after operating uponIt will be understood that thus far I have described operatingmechanisms in the form of parts insert d into a sheet-metal stampingpress and serving-mechanism cooperating with said operating mechanismand by means of the gag or rack-bars causing an individual or separateoperation coincident with each operation of the or at regular orirregular operating mechanism,

76 or rack-bar.

intervals after a plurality of actuations of the operating mechanism.

Since the gag or rack-bar 48 is fastened to transversely-disposed teeth49 and the intervening spaces or grooves 50 thereof are at all timesmaintained in the same vertical planes; movement in a horizontal planeof this gag or rack- Y by the guide-pins 5| and the guide rods 55.Normally the transverse teeth or ribs 49 of the upper gag or rack-bar 4|are' in vertical alinement with the transverse spaces or grooves 50 inthe lower rack-bar or teeth; and when so positioned and the sheet-metalis operated upon, the upper rack-bar moves toward and from the lowerrack-bar without causing vertical movement of the latter or thecuttertable supporting the same, due to the fact that the teeth or ribs49 of the upper rack-bar 4| rack-bar, and

cutter-table 44 and the cutter-bar 41 attached thereto. Under suchconditions clearance is providedbetween the two cutter-bars 41 and 26 topermit the portion of the sheet-metal already operated upon to passfreely between them.

I, however, provide automatic control-mechanism to efiect shifting ofthe upper gag or rackbar 4| with a view of vertically alining the teethor ribs 49 thereof with those of the lower rackbar 48. When the gag orrack-bar 48 is in its normal position, the final portion of the downwardmovement, which coincides with that of the punch or upper die-memberinserted into the .press, will bring the upper gag or rack-bar in 1intermeshing' relation with the lower gag or rack- 40 bar, as clearlyshown by dotted lines in Fig. 7. When, however, the teeth or ribs of thetwo gag or rack bars are vertically alined, the downward movement of theupper gag or rack-bar will result in the under faces of the. teeth orribs of 45 the same engaging the upper faces of the teeth or ribs on thelower gag or rack-bar, as shown along the cutter-bar Mi fastened to theinter- 55 mediary or die-holder 26, thereby effecting severat thedesired 'ance of the sheet-metal material point.

During the downward movement of the cutter- Y table II the springs 46supporting the same are 60 compressed, and during the initial portion ofthe upward movement of the upper gag or rack-bar the teeth of both gagor rackbars are maintained in contact under the expansion of the springs45,.

until the stops 52 ontheguide-pins 5| come in 65 contact with the innerwalls of the pockets 53 in the cutter-table, afterwhich the upperrack-barcontinues its upward movement independently ofend out of contactwith the lower gag or 70 ..To the upper rack-bar 4| to move intoOperative position, I employ an automati con-.

ce which is electrically connected with a solenoid or solenoids, or anyother electrically operateddevlce connected with the .upper gag Thecontrol-device employed comthis, if desired, may be secured to somefixed part of the press, preferably the die-plate 24. The two parts 51,58 lie in contact with each other and each has a flat circular recess 6|in its contacting face, which together form a circular pocket to receivean intermittently rotatable disk or carrier 62. The inner faces of thetwo parts also provided at the periphery of the so formed pocket with aparti-circular semipocket so that it extends with its peripheralmarginal portion into the ball-track or raceway 63. It is also providedat its peripheral edge with rounded notches 14 and is secured to a shaft15 in any approved manner. I prefer to provide bushings 16 in the twoparts of the casing 56 for the shaft.

The particular method employed by me for securing the disk or carrier 62to the shaft 15 comof the casing. This collar is provided with pins 19which extend therefrom and enter said pin holes.

- Placed within the ball-track or raceway 63 and the ball track orraceway step movement from the point 64, which may be referred to as theentrance point, to the Horizontal portion 66 connecting theparti-circular portion of the ball-track or raceway with the tube 61.

riously constructed, and in which the balls 80 or other unitary elementsare individually and variously centered at all times. The tube 61 isinclined, at least in part, between its point of connection at one end,of the edge of the casing 56 As they enter the ball-track or raceway 88,a. notch 18 of the disk or carrier 82 will be positioned in line withthe inclined passage I8, so that the first'ball of the series in theball-tube 5 enters this notch, and upon intermittent rotation of thedisk or carrier 82, which I prefer to term a unit or a ball carrier, theballs which are thus deposited in the notches of said carrier areadvanced through the parti-circular portion of the 10 ball-track orraceway and delivered into the horizontal portion 86 thereof, and fromthe latter into the tube 81 and by delivery through the same back totheentrance opening which the inclined passage 13 provides for theball-track or 15 raceway. Under each step-by-step movement of the diskor ball-carrier, the. notches therein are brought successively inalinement with the entrance opening of the ball-track or raceway, andthese notches successively receive these balls, 20 one for each notch.

The means employed for intermittently rotating the disk or ball-carriercomprises a pushrod 8| fastened to the lateral extension 89 of the heador ram-plate 3i. This push-rod extends 25 downwardly from said extensionand engages one end of a rock-lever 82 rockably mounted on one end ofthe shaft 15. Said lever is bushed, as at 83, and held againstaccidental displacement on said shaft by a retainer disk 84 secured tothe 30 end of the shaft by means of a screw 85 threaded axiallythereinto, the hub of said rock-lever 82 having its outer end in ridingcontact with the marginal portion of said disk. The rock-lever 82 isprovided with an upstanding arm 86 to which 85 one end of a retractilespring 81 is secured, the other end of said spring-being fastened to anad justing screw 88 passed through a lug 89 formed on a bracket 98fastened to the adjacent side of the casing 56. By means of this screw,which is 40 held in adjusted position by a nut 9i bearing against thelug 89, the tension of the spring 81 may be adjusted.

The rock-lever 82 has a ratchet-arm 82 integral therewith, the loweredge of which engages 45 an adjustable stop 93 threaded into the baseportion 68 of thecasing 58. This ratchet-arm extends from the hub of therock-lever 82 in a direction opposite thatof the lever proper and has anoffset portion 94 at its outer end to which 50 is pivotally mounted aratchet-dog 95 extending into a slot in the edge of the casing 56 formedby recesses 98 in opposing faces of the two parts 51 and 58, therecesses forming this slot being in reality extensions of the circularrecesses 8| 55 formed in said faces. This ratchet-dog 95 is adapted forengagement with the disk or carrier 62, and for this purpose isassociated with a trigger-spring 91 common to devices of this kind. Theend of the dog, therefore, engages the wall 50 of a peripheral notch insaid disk or carrier with each cycle of movement of the rock-lever 82.During the downward movement of said lever and the upward movement ofthe ratchet-arm, the ratchet-dog 95 travels idly in contact with 5 theperipheral edge of the disk or carrier 82 and moves from one notch toanother, as indicated by the full and dotted lines for said ratchet-dogshown in Fig. 12. During such idle movement the sheet-metal passingthrough the press is 7 subjected to an operating step, and this idlemovement is effected by the downward movement of the push-rod 8i. Duringthe upward movement of the head or ram-plate, which carries the punch orother operating element with it, the push-rod 8I moves in an upwarddirection, allowing the rectractile spring 81 to exert its force to drawthe rocklever upwardly while in contact with said pushrod, which resultsin the ratchet-arm moving in a downward direction and causing the diskor 5 ball-carrier 82 to be moved rotatably a distance equaling thatbetween adjacent notches therein, center to center. It will thus beapparent that during each cycle of movement of the operating elements ofthe stamping press, the disk or carrier is moved a distance equaling theexact distance which the notches in the same are spacedv apart, with theresult that an unoccupied notch in the disk or carrier is positioned toreceive a ball from the ball-tube, and such delivery of the ball mayresult in a small ball being brought into the ball-track or raceway, orone of the larger balls, depending upon the arrangement provided for theparticular operation to be performed on the sheet of metal passingthrough the stamping press.

It is, of course, desirable to have assurance that, when moving the diskor ball-carrier, it will be retained in its newly-adjusted position andwith this in view, said disk or ball-carrier is provided with a circularseries of lock-openings 98 into which a portion of a lock-device is tobe pressed, the lock-device being so constructed that it willautomatically release the disk or carrier when suflicient pressure isexerted on the latter by the ratchet-arm under action of the spring 81.For this purpose I prefer to provide one part of the casing 58 with anoutwardlyextending boss 99 and form through the casingfrom the exteriorof the boss to the disk a bore I88, enlarged in diameter along its outerportion to receive a regulating-screw I8! held in adiusted position by ajamb-nut I82. At the inner end of this bore a lock ball I88 is arrangedwhich is adapted to extend partly into the successive 0 openings in theseries 98 as they are brought in alinement with said bore. In the borebetween this lock-ball and the adjusting-screw an expansion spring I84is interposed, the force of which is regulated by the adjusting screwIM.

Each of the two parts 51, 58 of the casing has on its inner side at onecorner thereof a recess I85, which together form a pocket opening to theedge of the casing opposite that to which the upper end of the ball-tube68 is secured; and in this pocket is pivotally arranged a curved triplever I88, the curvature of which conforms more or less to the curvatureof the peripheral edge of the disk or ball-carrier, over which it ispositioned, and consequently to the curvature of the ball-track orraceway. The pivot IIII of this trip-lever is in the form of a pininserted into alined openings in opposite parts of the casing andextending through one end of said lever. This trip-lever is providedwith a hump I88 on 60 its concaved edge, which extends slightly intosaid ball-track or raceway. The outer end of this lever extendsoutwardly from the casing and is disposed at an angle and in front ofthe curved portion thereof. The innermost position of the contact humpI88, or in other words, the extent of the entrance of said hump into theball-track or raceway, is governed by the bottom wall of the pocket inwhich the lever is arranged, which wall serves as a stop, designated bythe numeral I89 (see Fig. 12), and against which said lever normallyrests.

when in this position, the smaller balls of the series being directedthrough the ball-track or raceway clear the hump I88 of the leverwithout 45 of the casing.

contacting the same. The larger balls of the series, however, come incontact with the hump I08 and cause the lever to be elevated from theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 12 to that shown in dotted lines,for a purpose to presently appear. .The balls having been described as acomplete series and designated by the numeral 00, I Wish to stress thefact that the series comprise balls of two different sizes, the largerballs being further designated by the numeral 80 and the smaller ballsby the numeral 80 As clearly shown in Fig. 12, a large ball has beendelivered into the ball-track or raceway at the entrance point and hasentered one of the 15 notches in the disk or ball-carrier 62. A distanceof five notches from the notch at the entrance point is a large ball80*, which is in the act of approaching the hump I08 of the trip-leverI06, and between these two balls there is shown a set of four smallerballs, which may be termed inactive or filler balis.. In said figure theratchetdog 95 is'in its lowermost position, and during the downwardmovement of the punch or other operating means employed in the stamping.press,

this ratchet-dog will be moved idly upwardly intothe position indicatedin dotted lines. During the next upward movement of the punches or otheroperating elements employed in the press, the retractile spring 81 willcome into action and cause the ratchet-dog to rotate the disk orball-carrier 62 so as to underneath and still out of contact .with thetriplever I06, into engagement with the contact hump I08 of said leverand elevate the same. This ball 5 is retained in engagement with saidcontact hump until the next step in the operation of the press takesplace with the lowering of the punches or other operating elementsemployed therein.

During the next intermittent or step movement of the disk orball-carrier, the large ball in contact with the contact, hump of thetriplever. will be advanced and clear the lever, with the result thatsaid lever will assume its lower or normal position in contact with thestop I09 It will be clear, therefore, that due to the fact that foursmall balls 00 are arranged between thelarger balls 00 there will befour cycles in the operation of'the stamping press, which may be termedidle cycles as ap- 50 plied to the cut-oil means or other serving meansemployed, between cycles that are effective in placing the cut-ofl'device or other serving means into action. In the particular applicationof my invention illustrated, the metal will have a series 55 of fourperforationslarranged lengthwise therein before the portion of the metaloperated upon will be severed from the metal entering the press andpositioned between the dies or other operating means employed. 0Assuming that the metal is to be cut 05 after. every second punch-hole,the arrangement of the balls within the control-device will be variedaccordingly. In thatcase every third ball or the series 80 will be balls01' the larger diameter, and 5 if it be desired to cut oil. thesheet-metal operated upon successively in diilerent lengths, the numberof small balls between the larger balls will vary according to thelength desired.

On one side 01' the casing is mounted a rack- 70 lever IIO, it beingpivotally secured to said casing between its ends. This lever projectsoutwardly from one edge of the casing andhas an angular terminal .IIIwhich extends'over the outer end of the trip-lever I06 and in engagementthere 75 with, the lower end of this angular extension bebring. thelarge ball 80, then ing preferably beveled to provide a sharp contactedge in engagement with the upper edge of the projecting end of thetrip-lever, as shown at II2 (Fig. 12). On the inner end of this lever isarranged a segment gear II3 which is in mesh with a gear wheel IIIrotatably mounted in any suitable manner on the side of the casing 56.When the trip-lever is in its lower or normal position, the angularouter terminal III of the rack-lever IIO will be drawn downwardly tomaintain contact therewith by the action of a spring IIE applied to theouter side of the casing 56 and acting against said rack-lever, and itis to be understood that the force of this spring will be overcome bythe increased force applied to the rack-lever 82 under the action of thestamping press, with the result that when the outer end of thetrip-lever is elevated the gear segment of the rack-lever IIO will belowered, causing the gear wheel IM, as viewed in Fig. l 9, to rotateclockwise. Mounted diametrically on the gear wheel and across the facethereof is a thermoid switch II 6, which requires no description in viewof its being one of several common forms of switches of this type,except to E state that it has two contacts H1, H8 which are designed tobe electrically connected together by mercury within the transparenttube of the switch, as indicated by the numeral II9. By interposing thegear-segment and gear wheel be- 3 tween the thermoid switch H6 and thetrip-lever I06, the comparatively small movement of the. trip-lever willbe translated into considerable rotative movement of the gear wheel, andowing to the diametrical disposition of thethermoid switch 34 on thegear wheel, said switch is given'suflicient movement to assure apositive make-and-break device for controlling the actuation of thesolenoids under all operating conditions.

When the parts are in the position illustrated 40 in Fig. 9, thisthermoid switch is obliquely disposed and a like position for the sameis indicated in Fig. 16 in which connection between the contacts II! andH8 is broken by the mercury I I9. When, however, a large ball 80* isbrought upwardly in-the ball-track or raceway 63 into engagement withthe contact hump I00 on the triplever I06, said lever is caused to riseand by reason of its contact with the rack-lever IIO causes said gearwheel Ill to rotate clockwise. During such action, the thermoid switchwill be moved into a horizontal position, as indicated in Figs. 10 and-17. and when in this position, the mercury II9 will be brought incontact with the two contacts III and H8 of the switch, causingelectrical connection between the two.

On the under side of the lateral extension of the head or ram-plate 3|an electrical device in the form of solenoids I20 is secured. These arespaced apart and set into depressions I2I formed on the under sideof-said extension. Currentconducting wires I22 connect the solenoidswith a source of electricity, indicated for example at I24, Fig. 1, saidsource of electricity having electrical connecflon with one of thecontacts of the 05 thermoid-switch, say for example contact 8, by meansof a wire I25. Wires I23 connect the solenoids I20-with' e other contactI I! of said thermoid-switch. The cores I26 of these solenoids areconnected to a yoke I21 secured to the upper gag or rack-bar II, as bestshown in Figs.

6 and 'l; the solenoids being of a type to draw the cores inwardly whenmagnetized, thereby moving said gag orv rack-bar to the left, as

viewed in Fig. 7, a distance equaling the distance '15 When thesolenoids are dc-magnetized, the" cores thereof are drawn theirconnection with the rack bar, which is moved to the right as viewed inFig. 8, against a stop I28 in the form of. a cross bar fastened to theunder side of the extension 39 of the head or ram-plate 3!. Thismovement is effected by an expansion spring I29 surrounding an adjustingscrew I30 passed slidably through said stop and threaded adjustably intothe adjacent end of the gag or rack-bar; said screw having a head orenlargement at its outer end against which one end of said expansionspring bears, while the other end thereof is in contact with the stopI28. This spring therefore serves to normally hold said gag or rack-bar4| against said stop and also cause the cores of the magnets to be drawnoutwardly by reason of their connection with said gag or rack-barthrough the medium of the yoke I21.

In this particular application of my invention I employ the yoke I21 forthe reason that one of the guide-pins 5| for guiding the cutter-table 44is in the plane of this yoke, and the gap formed in this yoke permitssaid guide-pin to extend therethrough. In such, cases, where thecutter-table is otherwise guided, or some other serving mediumsubstituted for the cutter-bar carried by the table, any other suitableconoutwardly by reason of nection between the solenoids and the gag orrack-bar M may be employed. If desired, a single solenoid, or any othermedium for operating the gag or rack-bar ll may be substituted for thetwo solenoids shown.

.Since the control-device is capable of use on machines, and are-arrangement of the controlunits, such as the balls 80" and 80", willbe found necessary, even as applied to a single machine,

I have provided the ball-tube 68 with a supplyopening l3l which isformed .on the upper side thereof and with a discharge opening in formedon the under side thereof, and mounted onto .the ball tube so as toclose said openings are slide sleeves I33 which may be moved'alo'ng thetube to uncover or close said openings, when found necessary to changethe ball arrangement therein.

Having claim 'is:

'thus described my invention, what I adapted to effect regularoperations to produce a desired object, of a serving-medium adapted tobe brought into action .at intervals during said regular operations, anda control-device operatively connected with said serving-medium, saidcontrol-device including a ball-track and a series of balls movablethrough said ball-track, said series of balls ferent diameters and beinginterchangeable to the series,

adapted to engage said operative connection to cause actuation of thesame for eil'ecting actuation of said serving-medium.

2. A control-device. for operating machines adapted for regularoperations operation at intervals between said regular operations,comprising a casing having a ball-track therein, a ball-way com withopposite. ends various kinds of stamping and other operating l. Thecombination with an operating machine 5 vdiiferent diameters,

including balls of two dif-.

position those 01' larger diameter at any point in v the balls of largerdiameter being.

for rotating of said parti-ciroular ball-track to form an endlessball-raceway, a series of balls interchangeably arranged within saidball-raceway and comprising balls of two different diameters, means tocarry said balls through said raceway, and an element positionedadjacent said ball-raceway along which the smaller of said series ofballs travels in an idle manner and against which the larger of saidballs contact to cause movement of saidelement for controlling thespecific operation of said machine.

3. The combination with a movable part of an operating machine andserving-means associated with said operating machine to eiiect certainoperations at intervals during regular operations of saidmachine, of acontrol-device comprising a casing having a parti-circular ball-tracktherein and atube connecting opposite ends of said particircularball-track to form a ball-raceway, a disk rotatable within said casingand having its vmarginal portion extending into a portion of saidball-raceway and provided with notches, a trip-lever in said casingnormally extending slightly into said ball-raceway, a series of ballsarranged in said ball-raceway and comprising balls of 'two differentdiameters fed into said ,parti-circular ball-raceway by said tube tosuccessively enter said bails into the successive notches of said' disk,means for rotating said disk in unison with the regular operations ofsaid. machine, the smaller balls of said series passing idly underneathsaid trip element and the larger balls causing actuation of said tripelement while passing in contact therewith,- and electrically-operatedmeans for eifecting the specific operation of said machines interposedbetween said trip-lever and said serving-means and brought into tripelement. v

4. Means for eiiecting an occasional operation in an operating machine,comprising a serving-medium, a control-device actuated by said operatingmachine and including a series of initial actuators movable in anendless path and being of two difierent sizes, and operative connectionbetween said serving-medium and said control-device adapted to beactuated only by the initial actuators of one size to cause operation ofsaid serving-medium.

5. A control-device for operating machines to efiect an occasionaloperation of a machine supplementary to its regular operations,comprising an element having a movable ball-carrier, a series of ballscarried along a prescribed path by said ball-carrier and comprisingballs of two a movable element adapted to control the occasionaloperation of said machine actuated by the larger of said balls. and

' means to cause movement of said ball-carrier.

6. A control-device for operating machines to effect anoccasionaloperation of a machine supplementary to its regular operations,comprising an element having a rotatable ball-carrier, a series of ballscarried along a prescribed path by said ball-carrier and comPrlS nBballs of two different diameters, a movable element adapted to controlthe occasional operation oi said machine actuated by the larger of saidballs, means said hall-carrier, and an electric switch through themedium- I which an electric current is established and broken underactuation of said movable element.

mwamsca v.

action by movement of. said

